Systematic Reviews
Systematic literature reviews step by step — framing the review question, search strings and databases, PRISMA screening and flow diagrams, quality appraisal, and synthesis that journals accept.
All Systematic Reviews guides
3 articles
What is Meta-Analysis? Pooling Evidence the Right Way
Meta-analysis pools effect sizes from many studies into one weighted estimate. The core concepts — effect sizes, fixed vs random effects, heterogeneity, forest and funnel plots — explained without the algebra.
A Step-by-Step PRISMA Systematic Review Workflow
Turn a messy literature search into a transparent, reproducible systematic review with PRISMA — from protocol to flow diagram, step by step.
How to Write a Literature Review That Examiners Respect
A literature review is an argument, not a catalogue. Here's how to move from listing papers to synthesising them into a case for your own study.
Put it into practice
Free tools, templates and mentoring connected to systematic reviews.
Frequently asked
How is a systematic review different from a normal literature review?+
A systematic review follows an explicit, reproducible protocol — predefined search strings, databases, inclusion/exclusion criteria and screening steps, reported through PRISMA. A narrative review is broader and interpretive, without the protocol.
Can a systematic review be my whole PhD chapter or paper?+
Yes — well-executed SLRs are publishable in their own right and increasingly form a thesis chapter. Journals expect PRISMA compliance, a defensible database set, and genuine synthesis rather than study-by-study summary.
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